Street Market operations again suspended

The Dorp Street Sunday Market has again been suspended by the Stellenbosch Municipality.

Last week, organisers of the popular shared a statement explaining that municipal officials conducted an inspection at the last market day (Sunday 25 January). “We walked away from the inspection feeling satisfied, and believing everything was in place, as we received no verbal or written objections on the day,” the statement read.

After the inspection a meeting was set-up with the municipality and the market’s team.

“We were surprised by new comments that arose in the meeting, which was not discussed at all by the respective events members on Sunday at the Market.”

This shutdown comes after the market, which was started after the Covid-19 lockdown, was closed by the municipality in 2024.

The municipality then explained the market did not adhere to the necessary municipal bylaws. At the time it cited the unsuitability of the street as a trading area, lack of parking and consideration for other road users, among other reasons.

Since then, the organisers worked with the municipality to reintroduce the market.

In January, market co-founders Leani Breedt and Danneel Stone announced the market would reopen. “Over the past year, we did research and regularly followed up with council members, members of the public as well as municipal departments,” Breedt told Eikestadnuus last month.

Now, after meeting with mayor Jeremy Fasser it was confirmed and agreed that the Dorp Street Sunday Market would have to move “to a different demarcated market destination”.

ALSO READ: Popular Sunday market to return to vibrant Dorp Street

Last November, the municipality held a public participation process to get input into possible sites for “alternative demarcated market destination”. Eikestadnuus reached out to the municipality for an update on this process, but had not received feedback at the time of going to print.

The Dorp Street Sunday Market team have the opportunity to reapply for the necessary authorisation to host the market in Dorp Street in hopes of phasing out the market to an alternative venue.

“At the very least, we have tried our best to arrange sufficient time to phase out, before we change to an alternative Sunday Market space,” the statement read.